Main Responsibilities and Required Skills for District Sales Manager
A District Sales Manager is a professional who is responsible for leading a district sales team. They manage all elements of the sales cycle such as budgeting, quoting, invoicing, and strategic planning and ensure compliance with all company policies. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for District Sales Managers.
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Main Responsibilities of District Sales Manager
The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a District Sales Manager:
Achieve
Achieve country sales targets and manage expenses with allocated budget.
Achieve fiscal year sales targets.
Add
Add value to team by proactively coaching and mentoring SSCs regularly.
Administer
Administer price lists, listings and temporary discounts, and manage budgets.
Administer the progressive steps of discipline to include verbal and written warnings.
Allocate
Allocate resources according to strategic priorities.
Analyse
Analyse market data and communicate it effectively.
Assist in
Assist Ambassadors and Value Expansion Representative with contract negotiations.
Assist in advocating and supporting change to help meet customers' needs and grow sales.
Assist in the development of sales objectives and strategies for the region.
Assist SSCs as needed to identify new partnerships via the MAG leads, referrals, and cold calling.
Attend
Attend weekly regional forecast and management calls to provide Inside Sales perspective.
Build
Build and maintain relationships with potential and current customers and sales partners.
Build a strong dealer team in the responsible district.
Build a winning, science focused, customer centric culture.
Build trust and rapport with current and potential customers.
Close
Close deals face-to-face and complete all tasks associated (e.g. signed order forms).
Collaborate with
Collaborate with distributors in ensuring efficient delivery of our products to points of purchase.
Communicate
Communicate corporate, divisional, regional and / or district mission, goals and activities.
Communicate in an effective and professional way with customers in and outside of inContact.
Complete
Complete all inContact paperwork timely - expense reports, sales call logs, etc..
Complete each year under expense plan.
Complete weekly and monthly reports for team and management.
Conduct
Conduct in-store and virtual training, coaching, screenshare for ongoing development.
Conduct in-store visits, trainings, audits, and performance.
Conduct team meetings and daily huddles, ensuring team members engaged and motivated.
Conduct weekly one-on-one discussions, monthly pipeline review and quarterly performance reviews.
Consider
Consider the perspectives of others when making decisions.
Contribute
Contribute in developing effective sales incentive programs.
Coordinate
Coordinate and drive customer facing, dealer facing and per to peer sales events.
Coordinate and manage a group of Ambassadors and Value Expansion Representative.
Coordinate new PSR induction program.
Cover
Cover shifts as required in the event of staff openings.
Create
Create and implements territory sales plans to achieve business unit sales growth targets.
Create and maintain the vision and strategy for the District Sales Program.
Create and manage sales territories.
Create and manage the Sales Department budget.
Deliver
Deliver the assigned target in their responsible territories in line with Pfizer policy.
Develop
Develop and execute an effective sales strategy to gain new accounts.
Develop and implement near and long-term sales goals for assigned outside sales staff.
Develop and implement strategies to counter competitors.
Develop and maintain relationship with key accounts.
Develop annual district sales plan basing on corporate sales plan.
Develop new sales accounts and sales channels.
Develop sales force skills by evaluating sales team strengths / weaknesses.
Develop short term tactical programs and long-term strategies.
Develop strategies to enhance the organization's competitiveness.
Draft
Draft and follow up on estimates for independent food service clients.
Drive
Drive both customer orientation and business achievement positively impacting the team culture.
Drive CRM / Salesforce usage - manage pipeline and revenue and reporting.
Drive value creation and deliver outstanding day-to-day service to existing customers.
Ensure
Ensure adherence to company procedures, policies, & guidelines.
Ensure all locations are staffed and scheduled for maximum productivity.
Ensure business reviews are conducted according to standards and plan and manage follow ups.
Ensure compliance with all company policies.
Ensure district sales team operates in full compliance of company policies and corporate governance.
Ensure economic profitability and customer satisfaction and retention.
Ensure operational and training compliance at all locations within established timelines.
Ensure optimum coverage of all customers and potential customers.
Ensure proper use of company resources involved with selling.
Ensure that each representative is properly trained.
Ensure that sales penetration and market share and GM% growth targets are met.
Establish
Establish and drive strategic account plans for achieving goals including value expansion and margin.
Establish and maintain an effective communications system among all members.
Establish meaningful and productive relationships at all client levels.
Establish strategy and develop plans to penetrate or enhance those markets.
Execute
Execute the sales strategy in areas of responsibility.
Facilitate
Facilitate weekly Sales meetings for Sales, Product, and Geo communication and collaboration.
Focus on
Focus the organization on efforts that add significant value to customers.
Foster
Foster close, cooperative relationships with peer leaders and other senior executives.
Help
Help drive sales promotions, customer incentives, and sales development support incentives.
Help negotiate sales agreements with independent foodservice providers and grocery retailers.
Help to develop individual annual training plans for direct reports.
Identify
Identify potential management candidates and brings to the attention of the Zone Manager.
Identify and diagnose opportunities to increase performance in store.
Identify and evaluate new and existing market potential.
Identify and reward top performance.
Identify new business opportunities to expand current ADD share.
Implement
Implement corrective actions when necessary.
Implement sales automation techniques through strong PC skills.
Implement the appropriate control measures for monitoring representative activity.
Implement the divisional sales and marketing programs.
Improve
Improve and develop data base of the team (EBMS).
Increase
Increase economic profitability, customer satisfaction, and retention.
Increase sales and revenue by aggressively targeting and developing new accounts.
Increase sales volume through direct sales efforts and by assisting outside sales personnel.
Interact with
Interact with all levels of organization.
Interface with
Interface with relevant Executives Customers Accounts.
Keep current on
Keep current on relevant matters including company business, policy and procedures.
Know
Know, comply, and enforce applicable corporate and regulatory policies and procedures.
Lead
Lead a team of 6-8 sales ambassadors.
Lead a team responsible for the execution of sales initiatives.
Lead by example and holds team accountable.
Lead recruiting efforts within the region.
Lead, teach, coach and develop subordinates to exceed sales goals.
Lead the analysis, execution, and acceleration of profitable revenue growth.
Lead the professional development and training of Sales Force.
Listen
Listen to understand the full scope of potential clients' operations and circumstances.
Maintain
Maintain and updates all project files on a quarterly basis.
Maintain appropriate staffing levels in each of these areas as assigned.
Maintain a professional standard of written and verbal communication.
Maintain favorable customer relations.
Maintain high standard of personal presentation and promote a professional image.
Maintain high standards of customer satisfaction within area of responsibility.
Maintain payroll costs & other expenses within company limits & goals.
Make
Make sales call on critical 'key accounts' within the district.
Make sales calls on clients with sales personnel.
Make sales presentations on all product lines.
Make and encourage decisions consistent with long-term responsibility for the environment.
Make in person sales calls.
Make presentations as necessary to same.
Make tough, unpopular decisions when necessary.
Manage
Manage all elements of the sales cycle - budgeting, quoting, invoicing, and strategic planning.
Manage a wide and deep sales pipeline including database creation.
Manage customer needs and develop customer partnership.
Manage and develop the Sales Department.
Manage district sales team to achieve the sales targets against defined operating budgets.
Manage overall direction of target setting.
Manage sales goals - profit and budget expenses.
Manage the overall business portfolio to maximize territory revenues.
Maximize
Maximize profitability and a healthy balance sheet by keeping costs and loss in line with goals.
Measure
Measure and analyze productivity of employees within the district.
Meet
Meet and exceed established team sales goals in assigned geography.
Meet and / or exceed established sales goals.
Meet expectations as defined by Sales Management.
Meet weekly with DVP to discuss district sales performance.
Monitor
Monitor performance and adjust resources as needed.
Monitor progress in meeting established objectives.
Monitor attainment versus forecast and takes corrective action when necessary.
Negotiate
Negotiate and assure the respect of the PVAs in collaboration with the reps.
Oversee
Oversee cross-functional implementation team (post-sale).
Oversee and supervise the work of the CSRs (Customer Service Representatives).
Own
Own and manage existing customer relationship.
Own forecast of expected revenue for current customer base.
Participate
Participate and facilitate in monthly, quarterly, and annual sales prep and sales meetings.
Participate in the formation of Marketing promotions, including food showcases and vendor promotions.
Perform
Perform tasks related to managing customer accounts, including business reviews.
Plan
Plan and conduct sales meeting to inform, train, and motivate representatives.
Plan and execute Sales Force Effectiveness (SFE).
Prepare
Prepare all required paperwork and administrative procedures to support hiring activities.
Prepare and / or review periodic reports to maximize sales, identify trends, and minimize loss.
Prepare, implement and review Business Plan.
Prepare PSRs' incentives for calculation.
Prepare the annual sales plans and forecasts and manage the territory operating expenses.
Process
Process new applications and help customers set up new account.
Promote
Promote adherence to Company policy and business.
Promote a team sales approach between the outside and inside sales personnel.
Prospect
Prospect new, and competitive business to ensure a complete picture of the Market area is understood.
Protect
Protect Company assets within guidelines of all policies.
Protect the Company brand through monitoring store standards and customer experience measures.
Provide
Provide direction and support to the service technicians.
Provide feedback and take corrective action as required to deal with shortcomings.
Provide ongoing coaching, training, and feedback to the inside sales team to support for success.
Recruit
Recruit, hire and lead a best in class team to exceed sales goals.
Report
Report status updates monthly.
Report team / individual KPIs.
Resolve
Resolve customer services issues.
Review
Review and approval of Sales commissions.
Review individual Sales Plans / set individual Sales Targets for all Sales Representatives.
Review weekly forecast and business outcomes with representatives and sales leaders.
Set
Set individual and team objectives.
Set priorities and objectives and adapt to situations in order to deliver objectives.
Set PSR's target in line with total team sales budget.
Take
Take appropriate action to ensure that asset losses are minimized and budgetary requirements are met.
Teach
Teach company policy, procedure, and culture to all employees within the district.
Track
Track all leads and opportunities to move them through sales processes within the company's CRM.
Train
Train existing TMRs in the team being handled in terms of overall development.
Translate
Translate business strategies into clear objectives and tactics.
Understand
Understand market and competitor activity and respond accordingly.
Understand P&L and manage budgets.
Utilize
Utilize reporting tools – including SalesForce.com and Pronto.
Utilize the appropriate reports for call tracking, territory analysis, and sample accountability.
Work with
Work closely with Branch Managers and Sales Representatives to ensure customer needs are met.
Work closely with the marketing teams and other sales channels to develop synergistic sales plans.
Work to ensure sales and productivity goals are met.
Work with marketing team to ensure the marketing activities launch and result in district.
Work with sales team on portfolio prioritization by territory.
Most In-demand Hard Skills
The following list describes the most required technical skills of a District Sales Manager:
Management
Retail
Agronomy
Valid Driver's License
Business Acumen
Sales Management
Most In-demand Soft Skills
The following list describes the most required soft skills of a District Sales Manager:
Written and oral communication skills
Planning
Leadership
Organizational capacity
Coaching
Interpersonal skills
Analytical ability
Priority management
Communicate effectively verbally and in writing
Work ethic
Commitment to farmer satisfaction
Farmer focus
Highly motivated
Work effectively within a fast-paced, accountable team structure
Teamwork
